YEREVAN. – Armenia is an vanguard of Europe in the East and a part of East in our continent, MEP Niccolo Rinaldi said.

On May 5 the member of the European Parliament participated in the event held near khachkar to Armenian Genocide victims in an Armenian church in Rome.

“We gathered near khachkar that reminds us of innocent victims. This a day of commemoration not only for Armenian nation, but entire Europe,” Rinaldi added.

MEP said that his three sons were baptized in accordance with Armenian rituals.

“Europe that we are building is the Europe of memory that is not ignoring terrible atrocities perpetrated in the past. Europe's strength is in common memory. If we know facts, we will become more determined. Armenian Genocide was a starting point for different crimes in XX century, not only against the Jews, but against Tutsi in Rwanda,” he said.

Rinaldi added that he went to European Parliament with an idea demanding recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey.